January

Alpine Skiing World Cup, Hahnenkamm Downhill Race - Kitzbuhel, Austria
Kitzbuhel is known as a glamorous ski resort and this event is said to be one of the most thrilling in the ski calendar and the whole town comes alive to celebrate the occasion. Go out early to enjoy a day or two of skiing before the professionals get on the slopes and spend the rest of the weekend indulging in fondue and Austrian beer with lots of sporty skiers with very muscular thighs.

For more information, visit www.hahnenkamm.com

Bommel Festival - Ronse, Belgium
The folk of Ronse seize any opportunity to have a party. The main spectacle of this parade are the 'Bommels', characters dressed in enormous costumes whose main aim is to knock each other senseless on a day they have named, not surprisingly, Crazy Monday. This, coupled with the general festive atmosphere and Belgian beer, should make for a good knees-up to warm winter nights.

For more information, visit www.visitflanders.com

February

Cologne Carnival - Cologne Germany
In the build-up to Ash Wednesday, the whole city kicks off for a week-long festival leading up to three days of 24-hour partying in the Old Town. The Germans show the results of their fine beer-making skills, bands play, everyone seems to get into the spirit by getting into fancy dress, and flirting is the order of the day. It is popular with visitors, but is nowhere near as touristy as the Munich Oktoberfest. A bunch of girls in fancy dress looking for a good time should fit right in.

For more information, visit www.koel.de

Venice Carnival - Venice, Italy
The world famous Venice Carnival turns the streets of the city into a theatrical stage for the ten days leading up to Ash Wednesday each year. Masked performers add glamour and mystery to the masses of partygoers who flock here from all around the world for the occasion. And they wonder why Venice is sinking... You'll need to book accommodation well in advance but the Venice Carnival will provide an extravagant backdrop for your alternative hen weekend.

For more information, visit www.venicecarnival.com

March

St Patrick's Day - Ireland (and any Irish pub in the world)
Ah, the charming Irish lilt and a velvety pint of Guinness. Dublin is the obvious choice to join in the craic but go into any Irish pub in the world on St Patrick's Day and the celebrations will be in full swing. So, if your hen night falls in March, take advantage. The Americans also go crazy for Paddy's Day. Cities such as New York have a huge population of expats who love to go totally over the top. Or you could check out Chicago where, not to be outdone, they go to the trouble of dyeing the river green to show their love of the Irish.

For a full week of festivities in Dublin, check out www.stpatricksday.ie

Eurochocolate - Rome, Italy
Not to be outdone by the New York Chocolate Show in November, Eurochocolate dedicates an entire week to the sweet treat. The festival takes place in Rome every March and is the stuff of dreams for a group of chocoholics. Everywhere you look there is something to do with chocolate, but the highlight is, undoubtedly, a gigantic chocolate egg that weighs over five and a half tonnes; take a moment to imagine it... Combine a visit with seeing a few other Roman sites and this could be the perfect weekend for a group of girls.

For more information, visit www.eurochocolate.roma.it

April

Oxford - Cambridge Boat Race - London, UK
This legendary boat race takes place every April on the River Thames as Oxford and Cambridge battle it out year after year. Quite apart from the excitement of cheering on the rowers (and appreciating their fine muscular form) the route of the race is perfect for a pub-crawl along the river, which is particularly good if the sun is shining. Check out the website below so you can decide which pub to sit outside while you watch the race and then plan your route for descending into drunkenness throughout the afternoon.

For more information, visit www.theboatrace.org

Queen's Day - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
If your hen night falls in April and you thought Amsterdam was a party city on any other day of the year, you should combine your celebrations with Queen's Day. Usually around the last weekend of April, the festival is laid on for the Queen's official birthday, and it keeps her very popular indeed. The canals are jammed with boats cruising the waterways, albeit very slowly, and the streets are packed with a real carnival atmosphere. The city's squares and parks play host to stages for free music concerts, and beer and food is sold at the kerbside. Everyone gets completely slaughtered (the Dutch being one of the few nationalities to rival the Brits in terms of drinking) and, amazingly, there's rarely any trouble - although this could be down to the other produce on offer. To top it all off, the Dutch show their true colours by all dressing in orange fancy dress for the day, so choose your theme and join the party.

For more information, visit www.visitamsterdam.nl

May

Bantry Mussels Festival - Bantry, Ireland
Ideal for a hen weekend that's chilled out with lots of good humour, food and drink. The folk of Bantry have taken the local delicacy and combined it with the national pint to form the basis of the Bantry Bay Mussels Festival - that is mussels and stout. Free mussels are available at in every pub and cafe and before you've taken your first bite, you're bound to find a pint of stout in your hand. You might as well wave goodbye to your dreams of a flat stomach for the next few days! If you feel like you need to recover then you can always get some bracing fresh air in the beautiful Irish hills before going back for more.

For more information, visit www.bantrymusselfair.ie

Cat Laughs Comedy Festival - Kilkenny, Ireland
A good alternative to Dublin and home of a great pint, Kilkenny now hosts a celebrated comedy festival bringing together popular comedians and fresh faces from the Irish and UK circuits. Brewery tours at Murphy's are an optional extra.

For more information, visit www.thecatlaughs.com

June

Royal Ascot - Ascot, UK
This is the horse-racing event of the year to be seen at, so get your best frock for the occasion. Racegoers are just as concerned with what they are wearing as they are with the race itself. Make sure you buy your tickets well in advance for the members' enclosure, then you can sit back with your Pimms and binoculars to ogle all the men in their fancy suits.

For more information, visit www.ascot.co.uk

Glastonbury Festival - Pilton, UK
It's synonymous with mud and tents as far as the eye can see, but Glastonbury has a charm all its own and attracts major headlining acts year after year. If you're a dab hand with a tent pole then pitch and settle in for the weekend, but if you don't fancy that you can just go for a day and enjoy the festivities.

For more information, visit www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

July

Henley Royal Regatta - Henley, UK
You don't need to be a water sports fanatic to attend the Henley Royal Regatta. A group of chicks can have a gorgeous day by the river, eating a huge picnic lunch and cracking open a few bottles of Pimms in the sunshine. This event is quintessentially British, with men in boaters and ladies in frocks, and has a real garden party feel about it.

For more information, visit www.hrr.co.uk

Ollesummer - Tallinn, Estonia
This is an increasingly popular destination for stags so there is no reason why hens shouldn't join in the fun. Tallinn hosts the Baltic region's biggest beer festival at the beginning of July each year, attracting crowds from all over the neighbouring countries, not forgetting local celebs. Not that you'll recognise any of them, but who cares as the beer will be flowing and you'll be caught up in a singalong with the locals in no time.

For more information, visit www.ollesummer.ee

August

Great Tomato Fight - Bunol, Spain
If you harbour a secret desire to get into a massive food fight, the annual Tomatina will allow you to live out your fantasies. The fiesta kicks off with the week of parades, fireworks, music and dancing to mark a historic food fight of yesteryear. On the day of the great tomato war, 20, 000 locals and tourists take to the streets to pelt each other with 125, 000 kilos of ripe tomatoes. The main sparring event lasts for just over an hour before the local fire department arrives to dowse everyone off, so a spare set of clothes is a wise move. Then it's back to the local bars and restaurants in great spirits to swap stories on you chucking prowess over a glass of Sangria.

For more information, visit www.pilot.co.uk/festivals/Tomatina

Edinburgh Festival - Edinburgh, Scotland
Every street and building in the city comes alive during the Edinburgh festival. There are endless plays, comedy shows and concerts to see every hour of the day with loads of up-and-coming and established acts. The festival runs concurrently with the jazz, book, fringe and film festivals and the Military Tattoo, so, as you can imagine, the city is heaving and one of the most exciting places to be at the end of the summer. Combine this with the buzzing nightlife and a weekend at the Edinburgh Festival can't fail to be a hit for your hen.

For more information, visit www.eif.co.uk

September

Oktoberfest - Munich, Germany
Although named Oktoberfest, this world famous festival runs from the end of September for two weeks each year. Six million litres of beer are consumed each year, which gives you a pretty good idea of what the festival consists of. But there's more: with music and parades to entertain the crowds, the whole of Munich gets into the party mood. So find a brewery tent to suit your taste and raise a plastic glass - Prost!

For more information, visit www.oktoberfest.de

Northern Lights
For a very special hen weekend for girls who want to do something truly unique, fly up to Lapland to witness the phenomenon of the Northern Lights, a spectacular natural light show that you will never forget. There is a less complicated scientific reason why this display occurs, which you will learn about while you are there, but it is enough just to experience this amazing natural phenomenon.

For more information, visit www.laplandfinland.com

October

Jeneverfeesten - Hasselt, Belgium
Belgium may be famous for its beer, chocolate and waffles, but in October the folk of Hasselt display their hidden talent and play host to their very own gin festival. So if you're into your G&Ts, you can enjoy the samples on a tour of a local distillery and there's even a fountain that offers free-flowing gin. Somebody pass the tonic!

For more information, visit www.visitflanders.com

Italian Job Rally - Imola, Italy
You can't get a much more alternative hen experience than taking part in the Italian Job Rally. This homage to the classic Michael Caine movie takes place every year for charity and is billed as 'an adventure of a lifetime with a difference and a real purpose'. You have to be a the proud owner of a Mini (or any car that is featured in the film) to be eligible for entry but you'll be joining 100 like-minded, Mini-loving enthusiasts. The event takes place in Imola and then you will drive back in convoy through amazing European scenery. If you can gather together a group of girls who are up for it, this adventure will have your stags drooling with envy!

For more information, visit www.italianjob.com

November

Berlin Jazz Festival - Berlin, Germany
If you're a jazz lover then you can't get much better than Jazzfest Berlin to feed your desires. This is one of the most important European festivals in the 'jazz calendar' with concerts in assorted venues around Berlin. A Fringe Jazz Festival runs alongside the main event so the city is alive with entertainment for four days.

For more information, visit www.berlinerfestspiele.de

The Chocolate Show - New York, USA
Chocoholics take note... imagine a whole exhibition devoted to chocolate! It's almost too much. You can learn all about the history of chocolate, how it's made and the etiquette surrounding it. More importantly, there are plenty of samples to try and different types of chocolate to buy. Indulge for the day but you can also combine this with a whole weekend enjoying the Big Apple, so get your bucks ready for some serious shopping with the girls.

For more information, visit www.chocolateshow.com

December

Open air ice-skating - Somerset House, London, UK
Jayne Torville will get a run for her money when you step out on to the rink to enjoy the open air skating at Somerset House. All very Christmassy and snugly for a winter's night with the girls and if you're struggling with your skates you can always take a seat and enjoy a glass of mulled wine while you watch. The rink is in place from November through til January each Christmas but is very popular, so book in advance,

For more information, visit www.somerset-house.org.uk

Edinburgh Hogmanay - Edinburgh, Scotland
New Year's Eve with bells on. Hogmanay takes the celebration to new extremes with major bands playing on stages in the street, fireworks and a huge bonfire, And, as you'd expect, it is incredibly popular, with more than 500, 000 people attending every year - so advance bookings are a must, especially for a large group. Also, it is unlikely that your hen is going to want to spend her New Year's Eve away from her future husband, so this is one to consider if you're planning a shag/hag party at this time of year for the two of them.

For more information, visit www.edinburghshogmanay.org